Shoe tree



J. B. MUTCH Feb. 1, 1944.

SHOE TREE Filed July 15 Patented Feb. 1, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOE TREE James B. Mutch, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to V Schelter Last 00., Inc., Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 15, 1942, Serial No. 451,057

3 Claims.

'The invention relates to a shoe tree.

A primary object of the invention is to eliminate entirely the use of metal in the construction of shoe trees and to provide a simple, practical and emcient shoe tree of strong, durable and comparatively inexpensive construction having a lateral expansible fore part and longitudinally adjustable to enable it to fit properly within a shoe'and capable of being manufactured substantially entirely of wood with a fiber spreader or a spreader of other non-metallic material.

Another object of the invention is toprovide an efficient shoe tree adapted to restore and preserve the shape of a shoe and constructed to distribute the pressure on the connector beyond the immediate point where the spreader is fastened to adjustable means for connecting the fore part of the shoe tree to the heel piece or section so that a fiber spreader or spreader of similar material may be satisfactorily employed and will be capable of withstanding all the strains and pressure incident to its use.

It is also an object of the invention to provide convenient means connected with the heel piece or adapted to enable the shoe tree to be readily removed from the shoe and also adapted to form a hanger to permit the shoe tree to be hung up when not in use. I

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may reresorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a plan view of a shoe tree constructed in accordance with this invention, the sections of the fore part being closed.

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the same.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, the sections of the fore part being in their extended or expanded position.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, the transversely disposed guide pin being illustrated in dotted lines.

Figure 5 is a detail perspectiveviewof the front member of the adjustable connection between spreader and the heel piece or section.

In the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention the shoe tree comprises in its construction a fore part i divided longitudinally into two sections 2 and 3 which are adjustably connected by the means hereinafter described with a heel piece or section 5 and which are laterally eXpansible and adapted to be separated by a forward movement of a spreader 6 and to be closed by a rearward movement of the same. The fore part is shaped to conform to the configuration of the interior of the front portion of a shoe and the heel piece or section which is self-aligning is adjustably connected to the fore part of the shoe to enable the shoe tree to fit properly the interior of the shoe for restoring and preserving the shape of the same.

i The sections of the fore part are preferably constructed of wood but any other suitable material may of course be employed and the spreader 6 is preferably constructed of fiber or any other suitable non-metallic material. The spreader consists of a plate or flat piece of material which is tapered forwardly and rearwardly from a point intermediate of its ends and the front end I of the spreader is rounded as clearly illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawing. The opposing faces of the sections 2 and 3 are provided with registering or aligning horizontal grooves 8 which slidably receive the spreader 6 and which are also tapered forwardly and rearwardly in depth from a point intermediate of their ends.v The taper of the rear portions of the grooves is less than the taper of the front portions and the depth of the grooves at their rear portions is such as to enable the rear portions of the opposing walls to clear the adjacent edges of the spreader so as not to interfere with or effect a forward and rearward sliding movement of the spreader.

. 'l'he spreader 6 has its side edges contacting with the opposing walls of the grooves 8 at the front tapered portions of the grooves and when the spreader is moved forwardly the sections 2 and 3 will be separated or spread apart to expand the fore portion of the tree for causing the sections 2 and 3 to engage the interior of the front portion of a shoe and stretch the same sufficiently to restore and preserve the shape of the shoe.

- When the sections 2 and 3 are closed the spreader engaged walls of the grooves converge to a point as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the the drawing and the rounded front end 1 of the spreader facilitates free movement of the sections so thatthe toe of the fore part of the tree may expand widely and freely.

The horizontal grooves in the opposing faces of the sections 2 and 3 taper forwardly and rearwardly in depth from a point substantially intermediate the ends of the sections. The spreader I has its side edges converging forwardly and rearwardly, extending from a point substantially intermediate of the ends thereof, resulting in spaced oppositely disposed points intermediate the ends of the spreader which operate in constant contact with the bottoms of the respective grooves during forward and rearward movements;

of the spreader, maintaining both forwardly and rearwardly converging portions of the spreader out of engagement with the bottoms of said; grooves when the sections are retracted (see Fig. 1), and in View of the relatively narrow contact of said intermediate points. of the spreader with the bottoms of the grooves, frictional resistance is reduced to the sliding movement of the spreader, thereby facilitating sliding movement of the spreader in said grooves.

The sections 2 and 3 of the fore part are preferably guided in their lateral movement by a floating transverse pin Q loosely arranged in aligned transverse openings H3 and H formed in the sections 2 and 3 but the pin 9 if desired may be fixed to one section and be slidably arranged in the opening of the other section if desired. The openings l and H preferably extendv inwardly from the inner opposed faces of the sections, 2 and 3 and terminate short of the exterior side faces of the sections but any other desired ar-v rangement of pin may be employed. Thefloating pin 9 is preferably constructed. of wood but. any other suitable material may be used. The float.- ing pin while forming an efiicient guide for the sections 2 and 3 in the lateral, movements thereof allows the toe of the fore part of the. shoe to expand widely and freely.

In order to move the sections 2 and 3v simultaneously to contract the fore part of the tree when the spreader 6 is moved rearwardly the spreader is provided intermediate of its ends with rearwardly diverging slots I 2 in which operate pins l3 of wood or other similar material which are arranged in vertical openings M; of the sections 2 and 3. The openings l4 preferably extend upwardly from the lower faces of the sections 2 and 3 and terminate shortof the upper surfaces of the sections as clearly illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawing. The rearward movement of the spreader 6 with relation to the sections 2 and 3 causes the outer side edges of the slots I2 to engage the pins l3 and positively move thesections 2 and 3.in.- wardly. The slots 42 limit the outward or spreading movement of the sections 2 and 3 and the floating guide pin 8 which may be readily intro.- duced into the openings l0 and II when assembling the parts of the shoe tree is of a length greater than the spread or space between the sections 2 and 3 when the latter are at the limit of their outward lateral movement so that there is no liability of the floating guide pin being accidentally displaced from thesections of the shoe tree.

The spreader 6 is provided at its rear end with a central opening l spaced from the. rear edge of the spreader to-provide-a narrow connecting portion It at the rear end of the spreader. The longitudinally adjustable meansfor. connect-.-

ing the fore part of the shoe tree to the heel piece or section 5 for varying the positive length of the shoe tree comprises front and rear telescoping members I? and I8. The front telescoping member which consists of a bar of wood or other suitable material has its front portion laterally reduced to provide an attaching portion l9 which is provided with a circular opening and which is linkedinto thecentral opening l5' of the spreader Bfor fastening the adjustable connecting means to the spreader. The circular opening forms a pivotal connection between the adjustable connecting means and the fore part of the shoe tree to permit the connecting means and the heel piece to be swung up- V wardly and downwardly for introducing the shoe tree into a shoe and fo permitting ready removal oftheshoe tree therefrom.

The reduced front portion of the member I! is provided with an entrance slot 2| leading to the circular opening 20 and preferably located at the bottom of the member I1 and adapted to permit the rear connecting portion N5 of. the spreader to be introduced into the circular opening 2.0 and to be readily removed therefrom.

The connecting portion I6 is confined in the circular opening by a pin 22 arranged in a longitudinal bore 23 in the front member H. The bore 23v extends rearwardly from the front end of the reduced portion 19 rearwardly beyond the entrance slot and when the pin 22 is inserted in the bore 23 the member I! is retained in engagement with the spreader 6. Therear member [8 of the adjustable connecting means, is tubular and slidably receives the front member I! and it is provided with a looking pin 24. extending through an opening .25 in the top. of the tubularmember and. arranged toengage any one of, a, plurality of vertical openings 26' formed in the front member and preferably arranged at close intervals to permit an adjust.- ment of the members I! and I8 to vary the effective and positive length. of the shoe tree.

The pin 24 is provided at the upper end with I a suitable head and all of the pins employed may be advantageously constructed of wood or any other suitablematerial and while the pin is shown in a vertical position any Other desired rra g n m y of. o rse e provided The artermina p rtion. oi'the ar tubular memh 8 is preferab y ro nd dand is piv ted. b a transverse pin 28in a socket 29 in the' heel p e e-or se tion- The he l pi ceor s ction whi h maybe of any desired configuration is preferabl ov lor in h shape of a goose. e g. The heel piece is providedin its. upper portion with a transverseperforation 30 through which is passed a string 3| of any suitable material which may be conveniently knotted interiorly of the socket and which forms a loop for enabling the shoe tree to be readily removed from a shoe and which also is .adapted to constitute a hanger for the shoe tree. The socket, 29, is tapered. to permit free pivotal movement of the, heel piece.

The member I1" is provided at opposite sides of the reduced portion I 9 with a portion of greater width than the saidlreducedportion and forming laterally extending shoulders 32 which extend laterally beyond the central opening [5 for distributing the pressure to portions of the fiber spreader beyond the opening l5 to prevent the transverse'connecting portion I5 from being subjected to the entire pressure incident to the operation of the fiber spreader. By this construction fiber spreadersmay beadvantageously employed without being impaired by the pressure incident to their use.

The opposing faces of the sections 2 and 3 are provided at the end of the fore part with opposite recesses 33 spacing the rear portions of the sections from each other and providing sufficient space for the operation of the wider portion of the member l1.

What is claimed is:

1. A shoe tree including a fore part, a heel piece provided with a socket, connecting means pivotally connected to the fore part and also pivotally connected to the heel piece within the socket, a transverse perforation intersecting the socket, and a flexible member extending through the perforation of the heel piece and having its ends knotted within the socket between the inner wall of the latter and the outer end of said connecting means and forming a loop exteriorly of the heel piece swingable to different positions to enable the heel piece to be lifted from a shoe and also forming a hanger for the shoe tree when the same is not in use.

2. A shoe tree including a fore part divided longitudinally into two sections provided in their opposed faces with horizontal grooves opening through the rear ends of the sections, a spreader slidable in the grooves of said sections, said spreader and sections being provided with cooperating means for laterally expanding the sections when the spreader is moved forwardly and for retracting the sections when the spreader is moved rearwardly, said spreader being provided with an opening forming a narrow connecting portion, a, heel piece, and means for connecting the heel piece with the spreader including a member having a reduced portion provided with an opening linked into the opening of the spreader and a pin carried by said member for bridging the opening in said member to close the opening, in the latter, to prevent accidental disconnection of said member with relation to the opening in the spreader.

3. A shoe tree including a fore part divided longitudinally into two sections provided in their opposed faces with registering horizontal grooves and having in said opposed faces recesses located at the rear portion of the sections and spacing said rear portions from each other, a spreader slidable in the grooves of said sections, said spreader and sections being provided with cooperating means for laterally expanding the sections when the spreader is moved forwardly and for contracting the sections when the spreader is moved rearwardly, said spreader being provided at said spaces between the rear portions of the sections with an opening forming a narrow connecting portion, a heel piece having a socket therein, means for connecting the heel piece with the spreader, including a member composed of telescopic elements, one element pivoted in the heel piece and the other element provided with an opening linked into the opening in the spreader, said other element being provided at the inner end of said reduced portion with a wider portion operating in the space between the rear portions of the sections and forming shoul-- ders extending beyond the opening in the spreader for distributing pressure to portions of the spreader lying beyond the opening in the spreader, and means for bridging the entrance to the slot in the said other connecting element of the connecting means to prevent accidental disconnection of the connecting member with relation to the spreader.

JAMES B. MUTCH. 

